From an ancient route where people have reportedly vanished never to be seen again, to a remote forest where unexplained lights flash across the sky, these are 10 most mysterious places on the planet.

1. Sochi, Russia

Residents in Russia’s ‘M-Triangle’, a remote mountainous region east of Moscow, claim to have seen unexplained flashing lights at night, while others say they’ve come face to face with extraterrestrials.

But for the best chance of making new friends from another galaxy, head to Sochi. Sightings are so frequent here that UFO spotters think it could be a hub for aliens wanting to touch down on our little blue planet.

Ural is spooky.

2. Idaho, US

Can’t afford a trip on a rocket to the moon? Well, visit the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho for the next best thing. Formed by the Earth’s shifting surface over 30 million years, the park looks like a lunar landscape.

All you’d need is the space suit and zero gravity and you’re sorted for a space odyssey.

An ‘alien’ rock at the Craters of the Moon National Monument. Picture: Frank Kovalchek

3. Roswell, New Mexico, US

Just as in teen sci-fi TV hit of the same name, alien activity in Roswell is supposedly common. The tiny town has earned its reputation as a bed of unearthly encounters, with regular sightings since 1947, when debris from a flying saucer was allegedly found in an army air field nearby.

They even have a four-day festival to celebrate all things out of this world, including a fancy dress competition for the best alien outfit.

It’s reportedly a hub of alien activity. Picture: Noodle Bones

Children eye a model of an alien on display at Roswell.Source:Supplied

4. Atacama Desert, Chile

Hi there.

This 965km stretch of red rocks and sandy slopes in northern Chile looks like something you’d expect to find on Mars. One million people live here, despite there being no recorded rainfall in the region.

The Atacama Desert is a spectacular sight.

But wait, it gets weirder. NASA has chosen the Atacama Desert to house its ALMA project. Europe, North America and East Asia are working together on this, the largest astronomical project in the world with 59 antennas searching the sky for signs of life.

It’s a massive project. Picture: European Southern Observitory

5. Poirino, Italy

When aliens try to make contact, they do it in style. Take a trip to Poirino in northern Italy, southeast of Turin to see some cute crop circles. They could have been left by some artsy extraterrestrials, they could be the handy work of crafty locals — we’ll let you decide.

It’s home to crop circles.

6. Nullarbor Plain, Australia

Crossing this arid land in the south of our country is considered a cultural pilgrimage — an ancient route used by Aborigines and other nomadic tribes for thousands of years. It was considered uninhabitable and the British military even tested the atomic bomb here in the 1950s.

The highway across the Nullarbor Plain.Source:News Corp Australia

However, this isolated area shows signs of life. Drivers have reported UFO sightings and claimed to have been abducted by aliens along the route.

There have been reports of abductions. Picture: Amanda Slater

Make sure you heed the warnings on the highway signs which warn motorists to ‘Beware of UFOs’.

A cave at the Nullarbor Plain.

7. Rio Tinto, Spain

If Mars is the red planet, then this shockingly red river in south-western Spain would not be out of place there. Although the abnormal red colour of the water is caused by pollution from mining, and not by otherworldly operations, it’s still a pretty strange sight.

The strange river. Picture: Big Max Power (BMP)

You’re not a million light-years away from outer space on the banks of the Rio Tinto River; scientists believe that bacteria in the river are similar to life forms they would hope to find on Mars.

It’s pretty mind-blowing. Picture: Jose Mari D. Barba

8. Wiltshire, UK

This mystical masterpiece, found on Windmill Hill in Wiltshire is one of many you can marvel at across the UK. What makes this one special is its intricate design. Even if you can’t get a bird’s eye view, it’s still fun to wander through the fields and marvel at this possible sign of life from another planet.

Crop circle in middle of corn field in Wiltshire.

9. Bonnybridge, Scotland, UK

Considered the world’s top UFO spotting site, Bonnybridge lies at the heart of the ‘Falkirk Triangle’, which encompasses Stirling, Fife and some suburbs of Edinburgh. Cast your eyes up and you might just be lucky enough to spot a flying saucer; with over 300 reported sighting a year, your chances are good!

The Falkirk Triangle is home to some strange activities. Picture: Karen Roe

10. Etosha Pan, Namibia

Check out Etosha for a slice of Saturn, without the space travel. Ethereal Etosha (meaning ‘great white place’ — for obvious reasons) National Park is twinned with a huge lake on the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan.

Aside from looking like each other when viewed through a fancy space probe, they both refill from the bottom with groundwater which then evaporates, leaving behind the eerie white flats marked with sediment flows.

Etosha Pan is stark.

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